ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000694 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2003 THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE THEMES: HEADLINES BRIEFING EDITORIAL OPINION -------------- HEADLINES MASS APPEAL U.S. starts writing war resolution - Hurriyet Blix unveils Iraq report: Visa for war - Turkiye Blix pressures Iraq, Baradei asks for time - Sabah Gul: War will turn Iraq into Lebanon - Aksam Powell: War in March, we'll be done in two weeks - Vatan Yalman to Denktas: Military on your side - Hurriyet Turkey off track - Milliyet OPINION MAKERS UN inspectors: Iraq's cooperation not satisfactory - Radikal White House unhappy with report, hopes to get war decision at UN - Radikal Inspectors ask for time from UN, cooperation from Iraq- Zaman UN arms inspectors worked for Bush - Yeni Safak Washington blackmails Turkey on debt repayments - Cumhuriyet Moderate climate in Cyprus shattered by hawks siding with Denktas - Yeni Safak FINANCIAL JOURNALS Krueger: Turkey's banking system must be restructured - Dunya Gul in Strasbourg: Reforms will carry Turkey to EU membership - Finansal Forum BRIEFING Iraq: Dailies give extensive coverage to the UN arms inspectors' report revealed on Monday. Inspectors have asked the UN for more time, and urged Iraq for more cooperation. "Vatan" claims that Secretary Powell told the Turkish officials in Davos that the U.S. is planning to attack Iraq in March, and will conclude the operation in two weeks. The U.S. is planning to stay in Iraq for a year and a half, Powell reportedly said. "Turkiye" quotes DOD Advisor Richard Perle as voicing Washington's disillusionment by Ankara's reluctance to cooperate. Perle said that the U.S. will carry out an operation even without Turkey's support, but warned that if that happens, Turkey will miss some opportunities. Iraqi deputy prime minister Tarik Aziz criticized the `peace summit' for its decision to exclude Iraq from the meetings. Aziz issued covert threats, saying that the disintegration of Iraq would fuel similar developments in Turkey. Dailies agree that the U.S. is not happy with the UN report, and is not willing to wait any longer. Commenting on the report, Prime Minister Gul said that only Iraq can stop the approaching war. Gul said that Turkey, like some European allies, believes that a second UN resolution is necessary for international action against Iraq. Papers say that after recent talks with U.S. military officials, the TGS has drafted a plan with seven alternative courses of action in the event of war. The plan will be discussed at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Friday, January 31. "Milliyet" claims that the U.S. and Turkey have agreed that security in Northern Iraq will be entrusted to Turkey's second army stationed in Malatya, and that a buffer zone will be set up to halt refugees and terrorist attacks. U.S. Ambassador asks for appointment w/Parliamentary Speaker: U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Robert Pearson has asked for an appointment with Parliamentary Speaker Bulent Arinc, according to press reports. Pearson's anticipated briefing to parliamentarians on the Iraq issue on Monday was postponed, but will happen after President Bush's State of the Union address. Meanwhile, Genc Party leader and business tycoon Cem Uzan criticized Ambassador Pearson for not calling on Arinc earlier to congratulate him on his election as Speaker. Uzan said that the U.S. aims to seize Iraqi oil, and that Turkey should stay out of the war. General praises Denktas: Papers give extensive front-page coverage to land forces commander General Aytac Yalman's praise of Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas during his visit to the island on Monday. Gen. Yalman gave the message that the Turkish military supports Denktas. Yalman said that the UN- sponsored Cyprus plan would restore the 1963 `atmosphere of conflict,' and cautioned that the plan offers an `artificial solution.' `The UN plan will render Turkish Cypriots a minority. A solution must be based on equal sovereignty of peoples on the island,' Gen. Yalman said. Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis, who accompanied Gen. Yalman on his visit to the TRNC, was given a cold welcome by Denktas, according to the papers. Yakis tried to ease tensions between Denktas and AKP leader Erdogan by saying that the TRNC leader has been very successful, and that he has the backing of Turkey. "Yeni Safak" blamed `Turkey's hawks' for encouraging Denktas in his uncompromising attitude, and noted that the problem is heading toward a new deadlock after 40 years of unproductive negotiations. `Secret' U.S. Treasury document: "Milliyet" cites the IHT report of a classified document of the U.S. Treasury which says that both the IMF and the Bush Administration believe Turkey should take emergency measures to carry on its derailed economic program. The report says that Turkey should enact critical economic reforms within a couple of days in order to receive the $1.7 billion tranche of IMF loans. The $4 billion `war aid' for Turkey by the U.S. is conditioned on Turkey's compliance with the IMF criteria. The report claims that the U.S. is not satisfied with Turkey's letter of intent, which was submitted to the IMF on January 22. EDITORIAL OPINION: UNMOVIC-Iraq "The Inspectors' report" Oktay Eksi opined a front-page editorial in mass appeal Hurriyet (1/28): "The Bush administration, even before the report was presented to the UN, had given a clear indication of its intention to punish Saddam Hussein regardless of the report's content. The world has come to a stage where all international law is ignored and all of the essential humanitarian principles developed over the centuries are deliberately violated. . The very sad point comes from the fact that the US, which made enormous efforts for the foundation of the United Nations with the idea of resolving international conflicts via diplomacy, is now ignoring all of its principles and acting with a show of force. . Now is the time to listen to what President Bush has to say in his State of the Union address. We will probably see an explication of Saddam Hussein's crimes, based on weapons which do not actually exist." "The most critical week" Sami Kohen wrote in mass appeal Milliyet (1/28): "The calendar for the Iraq issue is running. After the UNMOVIC report, the decision for war will be shaped following the upcoming Bush-Blair meeting. In other words, this is the most critical week in terms of the US administration's policy, which will give us a clue as to whether or not war is coming. . The UNMOVIC report basically gives a gray picture, instead of black and white. Also, the call for additional time to conclude the inspection process fully coincides with many countries' approach as well as the desire of the anti-war masses. It remains to be seen to what extent the Bush administration will take these reactions into account, but the chances seem very small. What is the real goal of the US? What is the meaning of warnings and threats from Washington to Baghdad: a show of force or a genuine military strike? It could be both. President Bush likely to implement the former and, if this does not work, will go ahead with the latter. Otherwise, the huge military build-up in the region won't make any sense at all." PEARSON